Vacuum-tube socket



June 24, 1930.

G. J. MEUER ET AL VACUUM TUBE SOCKET Filed Sept. 15, 1924 q11v VENTORS 4A TTORIVE r Patented June 24, 1930- UNITED STATES rlATEN OFFICE GEORGEJ. MEIIER AND WILLIAM," C. STEVENS, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGN- OBS,BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, '10 CUTLER-HAMMER, INC., 0]? MILWAUKEE, WIS-CONSIN, A GORPORATION OF DELAWARE VACUUJll-TUBE SOCKET Application filedSeptember 18, 1924. Serial No. 737,516.

This invention relates to vacuum tube sockets.

An object of the invention is to provide'a socket of the above characterof extremely simple and durable construction.

A further object is to provide a' socket I having contact clips ofimproved form.

A further object is to provide a socket I having separately molded shelland base portions with-novel means for detachably holding. the same inassembled relation.

A further object is to provide a socket enabling insertion or removal ofa tube by a straight telesco ic movement.

A further ob ect is to provide a relatively large positive contact areaof the tube prongs or electrodes and the contact clips.

A still further object is to improve and simplify the construction ofsuch sockets in general, including wide spacing of the current carryingparts both in air and insulation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in theart in the course of the following description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the socket; with the parts inassembled relation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with a portion of the shell broken away forpurposes of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the socket;

Fig. 1 isa vertical section on the line 4:el of Fig. 3;

Fig. '5 is a vertical section on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the contact clips.

Referring to the drawing, in which like parts are designated by likecharacters of reference in the several figures, the socket comprises abase 10 of insulating material,

' preferably of the type comprising a filler and an organic binder andsold commercially under the name of Thermoplax; said base having arecess 11 therein adapted to receive a relatively thin cylinder or shell12 of insulating material, such as the phenolformaldehyde condensationproduct sold commercially under the name of Bakelite.

Base 10 .is provided with a projection 13 adapted to cooperate with anotch 14 in the shell 12 for insuring proper angular positioning of agiven point in the circumference of upturned lugs or ears 17 and 18.Lugs 17 are adapted to be definitely positioned Within shell 12 forcooperation with the prongs or electrode terminals of a vacuum tube (notshown). Thus, base 10 is provided with channels'or grooves 19 forinsuring positive radial alinement of the clips 16 with respect to shell12, and said clips are secured to the base by screws 20. Said screws arelocated in countersunk portions 21 of the base (Fig. 4:), and projectthrough holes 22 into engagement with the inbent screw threaded portions23 of clips 16 for securing the latter to the base. Holes 22 areenlarged at the upper ends thereof as indicated at 24 to accommodate theportions 23 of the clips. Lock washers 25 are preferably provided onscrews 20 for more rigidly securing clips 16 in position. i

vAs clearly shown at 26 in Fig. 5, the clips 16 are adapted to engage orbite into the walls of openings 15in shell 12 upon tightening of thescrews 20, thus serving to rigidly clamp the base and shell againstrelative longitudinal movement.

Referring more particularly to the contact clip as shown in Fig. 6 andthe other figures, the lugs or ears 17 at the inner end the tube or thesocket. The lugs 17 thus provide a clip contact with the prongs of otherto provide for positioning of a circuit wire to be soldered or otherwisesuitably secured thereto. The clips 16 are of reduced width adjacent thelugs 18 to permit ready bending of the latter downwardly over the base10 for underwiring, as indicated in dotted lines at 27 in Fig. 2. By theprovision of integral or one-piece metallic elements to bridge thevacuum tube electrodes and the circuit wires, perfect electricalconductivity therebetween is insured inasmuch as the usual binding postsand joints are eliminated,-it being noted that the screws 20 are not apart of the electric circuit. However, it is obvious that if necessaryor desirable the nuts 28 may serve to bind the circuit wires to therespective clips 16. Said nuts are primarily intended, however, to lockthe screws 20 against rotation, and are preferably provided withpolygonal sides and also with slots 29 in the tops thereof, to permittightening by either a wrench or a screw driver. r

The shell 12 is provided at the upper'end thereof with a vertical notch30 for cooperation with the usual pin or projection on a vacuum tube toinsure engagement of the prongs of the latter with the proper contactsof the base. The usual indicia may.

be provided on the base for insuring proper circuit connections.

In assembling the device, tube 12' is inserted into recess 11 of base10, the engaging portions 13 and 14 insuring proper loca- I tion of thenotch 30 with respect to the sary to effect contaetingand holding'of theprongs of said tube by the resilient clip several contact clips 16 whichare inserted through openings 15 and then clamped to base 10 by means ofscrews 20,. said clips 16 serving, as aforestated, to securely clamp theshell and base together. By our improved construction the pairs of lugsor cars 17 are relatively widely spaced within shell 12, thus insuringproper current carrying characteristics of the conducting elements ofthe device.

In use, a vacuum tube is inserted into shell 12 with the pin on saidtube in alinement with notch 30, only a straight or vertical. movement.of the tube being necescontacts 17; whereas the tube may be re-- movedfrom the socket by a like vertical movement in the opposite direction.

By providing a socket in which the base and shell may be separatelymolded, the

same may be individually formed of different grades of insulatingmaterial, while also permitting various attractive color combinations ofthe insulating materials employed.

While we have shown but one form of What we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vacuum tube socket comprising a molded insulating base having arecess in the' top surface thereof to provide a shoulder, a

separately molded insulating shell adapted to rest on said shoulder,cooperative engaging portions on said shell and-base to properlyposition the same and prevent relative rotary movement thereof, saidshell having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings thereinadjacent to said base, and a plurality of combined contact terminal andclip members secured to said base and extending inwardly through theopenings in said shell, said members being adapted to positively engagethe walls of said openings to thereby hold said base and shell againstrelative longitudinal movement.

2. A vacuum tube socket comprising a molded insulating base havinga-circular recess in the top surface thereof providing a shoulder, aseparately molded cylindrical insulating shell adapted to rest on saidshoulder, said. shell having a longitudinal slot in each of its upperand lower edges, a projection on said base cooperating with theshoulders formed by the lower slot to insure proper positioning of saidshell and to prevent relative rotary movement thereof with respect tothe base, a plurality of combined contact and terminal members securedto the upper surface of said base and extending through said shellatspaced points in the circumference of the latter, said combined contactand terminal members having intermediate portions adapted to engage thewalls of said shell to thereby clamp the latter to the base.

3. A vacuum tube socket comprising a molded insulating base having acircular I recess in the top surface thereof providing a shoulder, aseparately molded cylindrical insulating shell adapted to rest on saidshoulder, said shell having a longitudinal slot in each of its upper andlower edges, a projection on said base cooperating with the shouldersformed by the lower slot to insure proper positioning of said shell andto prevent relative rotary movement thereof with respect to the base, aplurality of combined contact terminals and clips removably andadjustably secured to the upper surface of said base and extendingthrough said shell at spaced points in the circumference of the latter,said combined contact terminals and clips having intermediate portionsadapted to engage the walls of said shell to thereby clamp the latter tothe base.

4:. A vacuum .tube socket comprising -a molded insulating base having asubstantially central opening, said base being ad ditionally recessedfrom its upper surface to provide a substantially annular shoulder, aseparately formed tubular insulating shell adapted to rest on saidshoulder, means integral with the shell and base respectively to insurea given relative rotary positioning thereof, said shell having aplurality of circumferentially spaced openings adjacent to the lower endthereof, a plurality of combined contact terminals and clips freelyinsertable'through said openings in the shell and adapted to rest 'uponthe upper surface of said base,-'1neans for adjustably clamping saidcombined contact terminals and clips to said base, and means on theformer to positively engage the walls of said openings to thereby clampsaid shell to said base.

5. 'A combined contact clip and terminal for vacuum tube sockets,comprising a singlemetal blank having a relatively long body portion andlongitudinally alined end portions each offset end portion having a pairof integral lugs extending at substantially right angles to said bodyportion, the

lugs of each pair being bent upwardly with respect to said body portioninto substantial parallelism with each other, and means on said bodyportion to provide for attachment thereof to a suitable support the lugsof one of said pairs being adapted to receive an electrode ofa vacuumtube and the lugs of the other pair being adapted for permanentattachment thereto of a terminal wire.

6. A combined contact clip and terminal for vacuum tube sockets,comprising a. metal blank having a relatively long body portion andopposite end portions each having a pair of integral lugs extending atsubstantially right angles to said body portion, the lugs at one endbeing relatively small, and being bent upwardly into substantialparallelism with each other'to receive a terminal wire, the lugs at theother end being also bent upwardly and having the tips thereof openingto provide for adjustable securea sin 1e current conducting memberhaving a wiring terminal portion engaging the base,

said member also having a portion for con- I tacting with an electrodeof a tube, and

said member also having an intermediate portion in clamping engagementwith the li)nsulating shell to secure said shell to the ase. In witnesswhereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

GEORGE J. MEUER. WILLIAM C. STEVENS.

flared apart to facilitate passage of a vacuum tube electrodetherebetween, said body portion being bent intermediate its ends toprovide Qflset portions adapted to lie in parallel longitudinal planes,and-said body portion being also provided with a. screw-threadedCERTIFICATE r; CORRECTION;

' Patent No. 1, 767, 690.

I I GEORGE MEUER AL. 1

It is herebycertifi-ed that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction astoll'ows: Page 3,line 36, claim 5, strike .out the word "offset" and insert same afterthe word "alined" in line 35; "and that the said Letters Patent shouldberead with this correction therein that the same may conform'to therecord of the case in the Patent Office.

\ Signed and sealed this 9th day of September, A.- D. -l930.

M. Moore, I

Granted June 24, "1930, to

(Seal) Acting'Cornmissioner of Patents.

